WASHINGTON - The guilty verdicts handed down today by a Sudanese court represent a critical step in bringing justice for John Granville and Abdelrahman Abbas Rahama, USAID employees killed in Sudan on January 1, 2008. Granville and Rahama represent the best of our Agency- service to others and a compassion for those in need. They were working to bring peace and stability to Sudan. On behalf of their colleagues and friends at USAID, we mourn their loss but will continue to honor their memory and dedication. We have been in contact with the families of these fallen colleagues and extend them our most heartfelt condolences. American men and women and foreign nationals alike put their lives on the line every day in an effort to further humanitarian and development programs throughout the world and they deserve our deepest gratitude.

John Granville was a commissioned officer in the United States Foreign Service. As a diplomat and an international development officer, he devoted his life to the betterment of others. As a USAID democracy and governance officer in Sudan, he helped distribute thousands of solar-powered radios to southern Sudan, a region isolated by more than two decades of war, to inform citizens of their rights and to help them prepare for elections. John served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Cameroon from 1997 to 1999 and received a Fulbright fellowship thereafter to conduct independent research in Cameroon. John's colleagues recall him as being the "consummate professional," "an incredibly dedicated individual," and a man "possessing infectious goodwill." John Granville, 33, was from Buffalo, New York. He is survived by his mother, Jane Granville, and his sister, Katie McCabe.

Rahama, known to his friends and colleagues as A.R., began his USAID career in 2004 as one of the original members of the USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team for Darfur, Sudan. He was officially hired as a driver for the USAID/Sudan mission in Khartoum in November 2005. A.R., 39, was born in Juba, Sudan. AR was extremely dedicated to supporting the mission of USAID. He is survived by his wife, Fatima Mohamed Ali Osman, and his young son, Mujtaba. Mr. Rahama also provided support to his father, Abbas Rahama Mohammed.

For further information concerning USAID's ongoing work in Sudan, please visit www.usaid.gov/sudan